Superheater



A. w. BRUCE Nov. 24, 1931.

SUPERHEATER Filed Aug. 13. 1929 INVENTOR /9/ red WEN/1C8 Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES ALFRED w. BRUCE, or NEW YORK, N. "Y". p,

SUPERHEATER Application filed August 13, 1929, Seria1No.3 85,658.: Y y

This invention, more particularly, relates to superheaters for use with locomotive boilers.

It has been the usual practice, in the super- 5 heaters heretofore used, to employ steam circulation tube units each having vertical reaches connected to a header and longitudinal reaches extending through the fire tubes of the boiler, the length of the vertical reaches, and of the longitudinal reaches being progressively varied, so as to adapt the circulation tubes to properly accommodate themselves to the superposed fire tubes and the header. This practice is objectionable in 16 that the tube units cannot be made standard in form and size. Another disadvantage of the practice is that the number of return bends which can be employed is limited to the size of the fire tubes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a superheater comprising a header, and a plurality of steam circulation tube units disposed in spaced longitudinal rows and having all of their reaches substantially vertical, thus enabling each of the units to be made of standard form and size, and the number of return bends to be increased as desired, and adapting thesuperheater for convenient application to an economizer having spaced vertical rows of longitudinal water tubes. Other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing: The figure is an isometric view of a superheater embodying the invention.

In the practice of the invention, referring 40 descriptively to the specific embodiment thereof which has been selected for exemplification herein, the superheater comprises a horizontally disposedbox shaped header 10, embodying the usual saturated and superheated steam compartments. Attached to the bottomof the header are a plurality of steam circulation tube units 11, each tube unithav ing one- 0f its ends connected to a saturated steam compartment and its other en'dcon nected to a superheated steam compartment. Each tube unit comprisesfour substantially vertical reaches, '11a,'1-1b, 11c,'and 11d, respec-' tively. At their lower ends, the reache's'lla and 116, are connected by a returnbend, lIe; and the reaches 110 and 11d, by a return bend 11;. The upper ends of the reaches 11a and 1165 are connected to the header, and the up; per ends of the reaches 111) and 11 are con: nected by a return bend 11g. j j 1 Preferably, the tube units are arranged in spaced longitudinal rows, the tube unit's of one ,row being staggered with relation. to those of adjacent rows.

Particularly novel features of the improved construction. are that it enables all of the steam circulation tube units .to be made of standard size and form, that each tube unit. 3 may be formed with as many reaches and return bends as desired, and thatth e rows of tube units will fit into the spaces between. spaced longitudinal rows of water tubes of an economizer, thus enabling thesuperheater to be installed or removed as a unit, and insuring the maximum thermal efliciency from the gasesof combustion.

, While one of the preferred forms of con struction has been described and shown, it is obvious that many variations in procedure, form, arrangement, and construction maybe resorted to, and the invention, therefore, is not limited to the particular embodiment dis closed, butincludes' such changes and modifi cations as come within the spirit and scopeof the invention as set forth the appended claims. An instance will be noted with re'fer-. ence tothedescriptionof the superheater'as being applied toaneconomizer. It of course will be understood that the l device maybe similarly usedwith a low pressure boiler, 90-

' row being arranged in parallel, one set of that the term is intended to include all types of water heaters broadly viewed, disposed inadvance of the combustion chamber of a locomotive. v

The invention claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is: 1. A superheater comprising a substantially box-shaped header; a plurality of steam circulation tube units projecting from one side of said header and entering said header through said side, each unit comprising an inlet end and an outlet end, communicating with said header, the units being arranged in spaced rows, the units of each row being spaced and the units of adjacent rows being staggered, the units of alternate rows being aligned, whereby the units of one row will be disposed abreast ofthe spaces between the units of the adjacent rows, the units of each 5 row being arranged in parallel, one set of alternate tube ends of each row being inlets andthe'other set of alternate tube'ends of said row being outlets; and winding partitions separating said header into compartments whereby all the inlet ends will be in communication and all the outlet ends will be partment. v

ALFRED. W. BRUCE.

in communication, through difi'erent co-m-- partments. V v v 2. A superheater comprising a substantial: 1y box-shaped header; a plurality of steam circulationtube units projecting from one 7 side of said header and entering said header through said side, eachvunit comprising an inlet end and an outlet-end, communicating V with said header, the units being arranged in spaced rows, the unitsof each row being spaced and the units of adjacentrows being staggered; the units of alternate-rows being aligned, whereby the units of one row will be disposed abreast of the spaces between the units ofthe'adjacent rows, the units of each row being arranged in parallel, one set of alternatetube ends of each row being inlets and the other-set of alternate tube endsof said row being outlets; and a winding parti tion providing a pair of compartments in said header whereby 'all'the inlet ends will be in communication through one/compartment and all the outlet ends will be in communication through the other compartment.

3. A superheater comprising-a substantially box-shaped header; a plurality of steam circulation tube units projecting from one" side of said header and entering said header through said side, each unit comprising'an inlet end 'and'an outlet end, communicating with said heade'r, the units being arranged in spaced rows, the units of each'r0w being spaced and the units of adjacent rows being staggered, the units ofalternate rows being aligned, whereby the units of one row will be disposed abreast of the spaces between the units of the adjacent rows, the units of each 

